LA Eastside

In a moment of historic drama in the Capitol and on Wall Street, the House of Representatives voted to reject a $700 billion rescue of the financial industry. ~ New York Times 

BAILOUT FAILS; STOCKS PLUNGE Dow Loses 777 Points After Vote ~ New York Times 

Washington Mutual Bank Failure Biggest in U.S. History ~ LA Times

On my way home Sunday from work I made it a point to stop by store and take a picture of it. It seems that “La Crisis” just keeps getting worse and worse. Even if that Obama poster is a bargain at $14.99, I’d rather use that money to buy food. I may not know much about the stock market or fully grasp what’s going on right now, but I do know that it’s going to get worse before it gets better. On the brighter side of things, “The Doyers” are in the playoffs. One way or another I feel a riot coming on.

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Photo Credit: Cynthia Goldsmith

I don’t believe in flu shots. I’ve never had one and I don’t plan on getting one any time soon either. Specially since I just finished getting over it this weekend. My thing about the flu shot is that eventually the virus will mutate into an extremely viral form that can have the potential to kill anyone regardless of age or health status. Except last year I got the “Super Flu” and I was down for a month. I found this really cool interactive description of how a super flu is born and how we get it. Still, I prefer to get over it the old fashion way, building up my immune system and kicking it’s ass. This practice works for me because I only get sick once a year. My body takes about three days to get rid of la gripa and it happens in 4 stages:

1. Body/head aches, congested and generally feeling caca

2. The water works start and a handkerchief becomes my best friend

3. My throat feels as if I was the lead signer of a death metal band and every time I cough my body aches

4. I’m back to normal, but still expelling what’s left over  

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I remember way back when the hoods of Lincoln Heights, Highland Park, Happy Valley, Cypress Park, El Sereno, and Glassel Park really didn’t have a moniker to say: this is ____! But in the past year or so I’ve heard many an utterance of the acronym “NELA.” Now, I had in the past said “NorthEast L.A.” or even write it that way. Hell I even thought I made it up, but assuming their is a collective unconsiousness we folks in our part of the Eastside have come up with the same acronym. NOW people say NELA as in Neh-Luh. That my friend is pretty chido in my book.

Before I had to say oh, “I live north of East L.A., across the tracks.”  Now I can assuredly say I live in NELA.

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Just when I was feeling really pissed off at all the Babósos who keep insisting on appropriating the Eastside name (recent examples: edenexibition.com, theeastsiderla.com.) I came across this little gem today, posted on a Silver Lake street sign. Thank you God, for slapping down that sticker for me! Hallelujah!

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You’d be surprised at some of the ideas non-Mexican people have about Mexican-Americans. (more…)

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Oh look, that newspaper subscription I keep meaning to cancel has put out a new magazine. Hmm, maybe this time it’ll be a little more reflective of the larger Los Angeles and stop being so Westside Provincial? Haha. As the cover says: Dream On!

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Those of us close to E.L.A. and who know it first-hand are likely to view with pride the more positive aspects of our communities and recognize the successes rather than dwell on the failures. Nevertheless, we seem to perpetually suffer from dismal public perceptions that tend to focus on the negative. (more…)

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Now I know that I’m stretching this post a wee considering this event took place in Downtown so please bear with me. No matter where you live, there is no shortage of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons and other religious advocates preaching the word of their savior. I have no objections with their views or criticize their religion in any negative way. We all have the right to worship who ever we want without being burned at the stake. I just don’t appreciate it when they choose to take that love out of their homes and feel like sharing it with others, whether we like it or not. (more…)

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While walking in Echo Park today, I discovered this little free fold-out map & shopping guide…. (more…)

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There is a trend among immigrants that shows that more and more of them are moving to more mid-western areas of the U.S. rather than living in major cities like Los Angeles. My family is proof of that. This weekend I’m visiting my parents here in the greatness that is Utah after leaving the nest egg to find my own way through life a year ago. There’s nothing like a 14 hour road trip to calm the mind and spirits. It’s also a good time to reflect and rethink things in life like school, work, relationships and all that good stuff. The change of scenery and clean air certainly are a welcomed changed as well. Life in L.A. is hard and fast. It’ll drain you of your youth and spirit and leave you a husk of a person bitter and brittle. That’s why they decided to move.

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